Raft launching device



April 13, 1943. T. w. HOOLEY, JR

RAFT LAUNCHING DEVIQCE Filed May 26, 1942 Ihwentor Clttomeg PatentedApr. 13, 1943 UNETED STATES "ENE GFFICE 4 Claims.

The invention relates to raft launching devices and has for its objectto provide a device of this kind having trackways inclining downwardlyand outwardly, and adapted to support and guide a life raft over theside of the ship and into the water.

A further object is to provide the raft on its under side withantifrictional rollers adapted to engage the under sides of thetrackways for holding the raft in position on the trackways particularlyas the ship rolls.

A further object is to form the trackways from angle irons and toprovide the flanges of said angle irons, on which the raft rests, withrecesses through which the outer rollers are received when the raft isplaced on the trackways.

The recesses and inclined trackway also allow the raft to float clear ofthe vessel in case of sinking of the vessel, for instance when thevessel sinks rapidly when torpedoed.

A further object is to provide a tripping mechanism or frame between thetrackways and pivotally mounted and adapted to engage the outer end ofthe raft for holding the same in position on the trackways. Also toprovide means for holding said tripping frame against pivotal actionuntil it is released for a raft launching operation.

With the above and other objects in view the invention resides in thecombination and arrangement of parts as hereinafter set forth, shown inthe drawing, described and claimed, it being understood that changes inthe precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope ofwhat is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a side elevation of the launching device.

Figure 2 is a front elevation of the launching device.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the launching device.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 1,

Referring to the drawing, the numeral l designates the side rail of aship and over which the raft 2 is launched. It is the present practiceto stack rafts on the upper decks of ships, and when launched a greatdeal of time is consumed, hence loss of life is increased incident todelay and the impossibility of launching the rafts, particularly whenthe ship is listing. In modern warfare merchant ships sink in a fewminutes, hence there is no time to handle rafts. To obviate the abovedifficulties the raft 2 is supported in an inclined position, shown inFigure l on spaced tracks 3 formed from angle iron, and on the flanges 4thereof. The tracks 4 are supported by uprights 5 and by brackets 6mounted on the rail I. The under side of the raft 2, which may be of anyconstruction, is provided with skids 3a which slide on the flanges 4,and secured to the inner sides of the skids 3 are brackets 1, providedwith antifrictional rollers 8, which engage the under sides of theflange 4 for maintaining the raft positively on the trackways 3, andassisting in the downward sliding of the raft. It will be noted that therollers also prevent outward displacement of the raft in relation to thetrackways when the ship is rolling.

Rockably mounted in bearings of opposite uprights 5 is a shaft 9, towhich is connected, by welding, at H) a U-shaped latching member I l.The latching member I I has its arms l2 upwardly disposed and adapted toengage the lower end of the raft for holding the same against downwardmovement on the tracks 3. A flexible member I3 is connected at l4 to theportion I5 of the latching member and extends downwardly and anchored toa shackle l6, preferably by means of a quick opening pelican hook ll,therefore it will be seen that when it is desired to launch the raft 2,the flexible members I3 may be released, and then the raft will slidedownwardly on the trackways 3 into the water. It will be noted that thelower ends of the trackways 3 are sufficiently high in relation to therail I so that the rollers 8 will clear the rail I.

To facilitate the placing of the raft 2 on the trackways 3 the flanges 4of the trackways are provided with interruptions l8, which receive thelower rollers 8 when the raft is hoisted by mechanism, not shown, andlowered onto the trackways. After the lower rollers 8 pass through theinterruption l8 it will be seen that the raft skids, for the majorportion of their length, will rest on the flanges 4, and the upperrollers will be above the upper ends of the flanges 4, but in positionwhereby when the raft is lowered by the hoisting mechanism, said upperrollers will pass below the flanges 4, and the raft will be held by thelatching mechanism II. The latching mechanism II is preferably providedwith a stop lug 19, which engages the flange of one of the supports 5for limiting the pivotal action of the latching member I! so that itslower end will not be forced upwardly into engagement with the underside of the raft.

From the above it will be seen that a raft cradling and launching deviceis provided which is simple in construction, positive in its operation,and one wherein the raft may be quickly launched without loss of time,particularly desirable in modern warfare where merchant ships aretorpedoed.

When the vessel sinks it will be seen that the raft will float clear ofthe vessel. Under these conditions the front rollers will pass upwardlythrough the recesses H3 at which time the rollers 8 will be clear of theupper ends of the trackways,

The invention having been set forth what is claimed as new and usefulis:

1. A raft cradling and launching device for ships, said devicecomprising spaced downwardly and outwardly inclined trackways, saidtrackways being formed from angle bars and adapted to receive thereinthe under side of a life raft in a position whereby said raft will slideon one of the flanges of the trackways, said last named. flanges havinginterruptions intermediate their length and rollers carried by the underside of the raft and engaging the under side of the trackway flange, oneof said rollers being receivable through the interruptions of saidflanges.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said interruptions arepositioned for the reception of the rollers at one end of the raft whenthe rollers at the other end of the raft are above said interruptionsand in a plane below the plane of the flanges.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a pivoted latching memberpivoted below the trackways and extending into the path of the lower endof the raft.

4. A device as set forth in claim 1 including a pivoted latch pivotedbelow the spaced trackways and extending upwardly between the trackwaysand into the path of the raft means for holding said latching memberagainst pivotal action when in engagement with the end of the raft,means for releasing said latching member and means for limiting thepivotal action of the latching member.

THOMAS W. HOOLEY, JR.

